The invention relates generally to digital image processing and analysis.
Segmentation of ridge-like and blob-like structures is one of the segmentation tasks used in medical and life sciences imaging applications. Such applications typically detect vessels, bronchial trees, bones, and nodules in medical applications, and neurons, nuclei, and membrane structures in microscopy applications. For example, partitioning a multiple channel digital image into multiple segments (regions/compartments) is one of the steps used to quantify one or more biomarkers in molecular cell biology, molecular pathology, and pharmaceutical research.